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Know How / Maize

Whether it is grown for anaerobic digestion, for livestock feed or grain, maize is being grown more widely and is being seen as a valuable addition to rotation. Our maize page aims to help you grow a more profitable crop.

This is your starting point for addressing challenges such as disease and weed control, choosing the right varieties and protecting the environment.

Key areas of focus:

  • Getting establishment right
  • Planning fungicide strategy
  • Keeping on top of weeds
  • Choosing the right varieties for the right market

Must reads

Case studies

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FEED AND NUTRITION

How one farm is trialling a regen approach to forage maize

Faced with a reliance on maize but driven by a commitment to regenerative farming principles, Lucy and Rob Noad set out to prove that maize can be grown more sustainably.…

DRILLING

Strip-till cultivator brings big maize establishment savings

The use of a strip-till cultivator has halved the number of maize establishment passes and more than doubled work rate at a Hampshire arable farm – all while maintaining yields.…

SOILS

How Arable Insights farmer panel are unlocking soil improvements

Managing soils to improve physical structure and chemical and biological activity has become a key trend on arable farms this decade. Each of this season’s Arable Insights farmer panel are…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize Watch: Average year in Suffolk after wet winter

A laborious drilling campaign was rewarded with an average maize year on the Suffolk-Norfolk border for ex-dairy farmer Toby Tibbenham. Crops yielded a solid 39.5t/ha across the18.5ha (46 acres) of…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize watch: New variety impresses in moderate growing year

Maize performed better than feared for a Sussex dairy herd, including bumper results for a new variety.   Farmer John Hancock at Hurlands Farm, near Petworth, plans to grow new…

LIVESTOCK

Can living mulch cut maize cost and protect soil health?

Maize is an important component in livestock diets, but growing the crop is often associated with harmful environmental effects caused by soil erosion and run-off. The tendency for maize ground…

Practical advice

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LIVESTOCK

Advice on growing successful maize crops after a wet winter

Challenging wet weather, waterlogged soils and flooded sites mean growers must be flexible and develop a farm-specific strategy to get maize seed in the ground this year. Conditions are not…

COVER CROPS

How to tackle large cover crops before spring drilling

Some of the biggest overwinter cover crops seen in the past 15-20 years will need careful management ahead of spring drilling to maximise yields of the following crop. Oxfordshire-based Agrii…

HARVEST AND CROP STORAGE

What's in your grain store? Tackling pests before harvest

It is estimated that 90% of grain stores harbour at least one insect species known to infest grain, underlining the critical importance of good store hygiene in the run-up to…

LIVESTOCK

Advice on early nutrition for forage maize crops

Top of the to-do list when planning this year’s forage maize crops should be to check soil pH and correct where necessary. Maize needs a pH of 5.8-7, and outside…

FEED AND NUTRITION

5 ways to be more efficient at maize production in 2025

The value of maize in feed rations is not in doubt but farmers are facing challenges in continuing to use it with confidence amid increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. They need…

MAIZE

Advice for creating temporary field clamps for maize

Clamping maize in a field could be an option for farmers to avoid overfilling permanent structures or making a mess on roadways – but it requires careful planning. Hefin Richards…

Insights

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FEED AND NUTRITION

Forage maize yield more than double under film, trial shows

The impact on a farm’s cost of production from more than doubling forage maize yield, from 7t dry matter/ha to 18t, is significant. This yield benefit was seen when the…

CROP SELECTION

Maize for anaerobic digestion - how do the numbers stack up?

Growing maize to supply a local anaerobic digestion plant may look attractive for farmers in the right location, however haulage costs and yield variability can “make or break” profitability That’s…

MAIZE

Triple-use maize variety on offer to support rising interest

The demand for UK maize rise is rising, and so too is the demand for multi-use varieties which offer flexible market opportunities. Maize continues to be the first-choice feedstock for…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Benefits of following maize with Westerwolds ryegrass

Including freshly cut Westerwolds ryegrass in the ration during housing is increasing daily milk yield by 2 litres a cow in a Ceredigion dairy herd and capturing significant cost savings…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize Watch: Crop progress a month behind

Maize progress has largely been a month behind all year in southern Wales, with drilling and harvesting dates both delayed.   This is according to George John of SG John…

MAIZE

Why grain maize could be a profitable spring cropping option

Grain maize could be a profitable spring option for growers this season, with expected net margins of £914/ha, thanks to growing market demand. After the winter washout wreaked havoc on…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Why increasing diversity in arable fields is key to IPM

Introducing greater diversity in arable fields is an important part of integrated strategies for disease and pest control, buying crucial time for slower acting biological solutions. Canadian soil specialist Joel…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize-bean cropping tipped to see huge growth in Germany

More German growers are companion-cropping maize with beans to address astronomical ammonium nitrate and protein costs, saying the dry matter and protein performance of the resulting silage outweighs the energy…

MAIZE

How growers can produce maize and protect environment

Maize is a crop often perceived to be damaging to the environment, causing issues such as soil compaction, erosion and nutrient losses, which can lead to run-off, affecting nearby watercourses.…

ARABLE

Three key spring cropping options in the North

The area of spring cropping in 2023 is likely to be down on previous years given favourable conditions for autumn drilling, but it remains an important option for many farms…

Video

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ARABLE

Video: Ultimate guide to good slug pellet application

With the fate of metaldehyde in their hands, growers have one final winter to make sure the slug killer doesn’t contaminate watercourses. As a timely reminder, Oli Hill looks at best application…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Video: How nozzle choice affects spray quality and efficacy

Selecting the appropriate sprayer nozzle for pre-emergence weed control is an important step in cutting spray drift and maximising the efficacy of the chemicals being applied. There are four key…

ARABLE

Video: How to sample your soil for analysis

The quieter winter months are a prime time to get a snapshot of the state of soils and consider any adjustments to maximise fertility and crop potential. Unlike most other…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How growing maize with beans can improve silage quality

Intercropping of maize and climbing beans is gaining ground among German farmers keen to improve the quality of their silage. Yields and protein content are particularly promising when the two…